SOUND OFF: NDP housing hypocrisy reaches new lows

Due to his vocal opposition to the concept of profiting off the housing market, people were shocked to find out that Eby himself flipped his taxpayer-subsidized condo in downtown Victoria — selling it mere months before the first speculation tax came into force in 2019. The sale netted Eby a healthy $150,000. When asked about the sale, Eby justified his decision by saying that he needed a place for his young family to stay when he was working in Victoria and that the money from the sale was needed to pay for his wife’s tuition.

The problem with this justification is that it is the same reasoning regular British Columbians have when they buy, or sell, a second housing unit, but this NDP government does not find it a convincing enough reason to allow it to happen. In Eby’s mind, housing is a situation of ‘do as I say, not as I do.’

Even more frustrating is the fact that when Eby sold his condo, the listing specified that the building allowed “unrestricted rentals,” suggesting to potential buyers that it could be used as an Airbnb investment. The condo building itself even has an “on-site B&B management team” to handle short-term rental bookings. This is a particularly damning revelation in light of the recent NDP legislation banning Airbnbs in secondary properties. It seems obvious that Eby exploited the popularity of Airbnbs to increase the profit on his sale — despite now claiming to be against the very concept of short-term rentals in B.C.’s downtowns.

It’s impossible to trust the NDP on the issue of housing when this is their track record after nearly seven years in government; the worst housing affordability in North America and a premier whose actions simply do not line up with his rhetoric.

British Columbians deserve a government that will truly deliver on housing affordability. One that doesn’t just acknowledge the problem but takes tangible steps to build the housing that our province desperately needs. People deserve results, not more NDP housing hypocrisy.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.

by Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Peter Milobar

SOUND OFF: NDP housing hypocrisy reaches new lows

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